How to lose nothing, or $110,000, to scammers. That letter from Santa: Is that really you, St. Nick? And the realties of gift cards.

The Grandparents Scam

News item: Three Redding residents lost about $190,000 recently in a phone scam targeting the elderly that claims to have a victim's loved one in jail in another country, usually Mexico. The scammers, posing as a resident, lawyer or police officer, ask the victims to send cash to a specific location or wire money into a bank account.

One of the Redding residents lost $110,000 in the scam.

A Newington woman also said she received a call from someone who said her relative had been arrested for driving under the influence, then asked for $100,000. A follow-up caller addressed the woman by the ethnic nickname her grandson uses.

Some tips to avoid becoming a victim, provided by the state Department of Consumer Protection and AARP of Connecticut:

>>If a caller asks for money, hang up and call local police. Any request for a prepaid card or wire transfer is almost certainly a scam.

>>Do not give any information. If the caller identifies himself as a grandson, ask for a name or other specific information. Some scammers might actually know the grandson's name through Facebook or other online sources. So ask for the name of the family's pet or the most recent gift he has received.

>>Establish a secret code word that family members can use in an emergency.

>>Disregard any "help me" calls. Call the loved one directly or a parent to verify his safety.

Visit the Connecticut Better Business Bureau's new portal (hope.ly/1ytuyNJ) to contacts supplied by the Coalition for Elder Justice, part of the State Department's Elder Rights and Elder Abuse initiatives, with links to AARP's Fraud Watch Network, the state Department of Banking, Senior Medicare patrol, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and other resources.

Sears Scam

Q: "I recently received three emails that stated our Sears bill was due in 10 days and gave us an option to pay by debit card or checking account. Knowing that we had not used our Sears credit card for quite a while, I became suspicious and did not think it safe to proceed further with the email.

"I did call Sears to make sure that there was no activity on our account, and they reassured me that there was no balance due. This email was certainly a scam to obtain private banking information, and while we did not fall victim to this attempt we are certain that some people might. Can you help?"

Bonita Wirtes, Unionville

A: Congratulations on not falling for this phishing scheme. Unfortunately, enough people have fallen for it to sustain the scam for several years.

The arrest of three "Sears" scammers in Louisiana in 2010 shows how it works. Victims receive an authentic-looking email bill that appears to originate from Sears. When the victims provide a credit card number, it's a good day for the scammers.

In this case, the scammers used the victims' credit cards to order computer equipment that were shipped to vacant residences. A tip led police to the scammers.

Letter From Santa

Of course, little Isla would love a letter from Santa, but choose your Santas wisely: It could be a scam. It could start as innocently as an unsolicited email offer of a personalized note and certificate with a link to a $19.99 payment. If it's a scam, you lose $19.99 and maybe more — the scammers now have your credit-card information.

Even a free letter-from-Santa operation might not be safe. It could sell your information to spammers.

Gift Cards:The Facts

>>Gift cards sold in the state do not expire. (Inactivity fees are prohibited.) A gift card sold by a Connecticut retailer will probably follow state regulations.

>>But: A gift card issued, or backed, by a federal financial institution such as Visa follows federal regulations. The card can expire after five years. The issuer also can charge an inactivity fee after one year.

>>Use a gift card issued by a locally owned business as soon as possible. If the business folds, the value of the gift card is probably lost.

>>An estimated $750 million in gift cards will not be redeemed this year, according to CEB TowerGroup.